WrAppED Up in BlANKEt HuGS

Project Linus Brings Comfort to Children in Need

“blanket hug” can make a world of difference in the life of a child. North Dakota’s chapter of the national nonprofit organization Project Linus has donated more than 10,000 blankets to comfort the children of North Dakota.

“Giving away our 10,000th blanket is a huge milestone,” chapter founder Lynne Olien said. “ It feels good to give so many kids blanket hugs.”

Olien started North Dakota’s only chapter of Project Linus after recalling how her son Nathan found comfort in a blanket during his time in the hospital fighting fatal Batten disease. The hospital staff accidentally put his blanket, or “B” as they called it, in the wash and lost it, but they quickly found him a new fleece blanket to sooth his nerves.

“It’s amazing how a few pieces of fabric can make a child feel better,” Olien said.

Three years after losing her son, Olien was searching the Web for knitting patterns and found the Project Linus website. “It hit me that it was something I could do and I never do anything half-heartedly,” Olien said.

By January 2006 Project Linus was up and running, donating blankets to hospitals, foster care homes, shelters, and fire and police stations. Roughly 2,000 blankets are given per year. Dedicated “Blanketeers” meet every Monday to pick up and deliver blankets, sew quilts, and sew special labels onto donated blankets.

The blankets are made by individuals, school groups, scout groups, 4-H groups, church groups, professional groups, and quilting clubs — anyone can make a blanket and make a difference. The blankets must be handmade from new fabric and be at least 36 inches by 42 inches large and from a nonsmoking environment. Several dropoff sites exist in the Fargo-Moorhead area, including Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts and Blow’s Sew-N-Vac. Each blanket acquires a specialized tag stating that a person or group made the blanket with TLC. The tags are included to give the child and his or her family a personal connection.

“Knowing there are people out there who do nice things for total strangers is a good feeling when you’re in a tough situation,” Olien said.

Named after Charles M. Schulz’s blanket toting “Peanuts” character Linus van Pelt, Project Linus exists in all 50 states and has delivered more than 3.5 million blankets to children.

Last summer North Dakota’s chapter donated 500 blankets to children with parents in the National Guard. “Kids pick out a blanket and immediately snuggle their face in it,” Olien said. “You get goosebumps because you can’t believe how much they love it.”

She remembers the first blanket she ever made for Project Linus — a teal fleece blanket decorated with ducks. Although it is uncommon to meet the children due to privacy issues, Olien met the little girl who received her blanket.

“Something made me pick out the right color and fabric to use before I even met her,” Olien said. “I found out teal was her favorite color and she loved ducks — it was meant to be.” [AWM]

For more information visit www. orgsites.com/nd/projectlinusfargo.